Diagnostics & Imaging Week articles from December 2006

Diagnostics & Imaging Week archives from December 2006

'Closing loop' for 'holy grail' of diabetes is more than devices.(Piper Jaffray Healthcare Conference)
December 7, 2006... Short of a cure for diabetes, the "Holy Grail" to treat this disease is rather obvious--a "closed-loop" system that connects a continuous blood glucose sensor that provides real-time data to an insulin pump, with the pump then responding with...

SilverHawk to NightHawk is next big step for FoxHollow.(Piper Jaffray Healthcare Conference)
December 7, 2006... NEW YORK -- John Simpson, MD, PhD, said his staff wouldn't let him talk about the NightHawk first in his presentation at last week's Piper Jaffray Health Care conference because he was so excited about it that it would take up the whole half...

Abbott Molecular introduces 6 new DNA tests for leukemia.(International report)
December 7, 2006... The Abbott Molecular unit of Abbott Laboratories (Abbott Park, Illinois) said it has introduced six CE-marked DNA tests in Europe for use by diagnostic laboratories in identifying chromosomal abnormalities associated with certain forms of...

Vital Images over-allotment sale pushes offering to $98 million.
December 7, 2006... Vital Images (Minneapolis) reported that the underwriters of its recently completed public offering have exercised their option to buy an additional 354,003 shares of the company common stock to cover over-allotments. Vital Images granted...

Zila buys $34m Pro-Dentec; Magellan buys TREK.(Deals roundup)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Zila (Phoenix) has completed the acquisition of Professional Dental Technologies (Pro-Dentec; Batesville, Arkansas), a privately held dental products company, in a $34 million cash transaction. "With the acquisition of Pro-Dentec, we have...

Magellan Biosciences (Chelmsford, Massachusetts), a developer of clinical diagnostic products, said it has acquired TREK Diagnostic Systems (Cleveland), a provider of clinical-diagnostic products for infectious diseases. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.(Deals roundup)(Magellan Biosciences, Inc. acquired TREK Diagnostic Systems, Inc.)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Magellan Biosciences (Chelmsford, Massachusetts), a developer of clinical diagnostic products, said it has acquired TREK Diagnostic Systems (Cleveland), a provider of clinical-diagnostic products for infectious diseases. Terms of the...

Micrus Endovascular (San Jose, California) reported that it has acquired certain assets and business of privately held VasCon (Doral, Florida), a maker of vascular access and delivery devices.(Deals roundup)
December 7, 2006... Micrus Endovascular (San Jose, California) reported that it has acquired certain assets and business of privately held VasCon (Doral, Florida), a maker of vascular access and delivery devices. Micrus Design Technology, the subsidiary of...

PerkinElmer (Wellesley, Massachusetts) has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Evotec Technologies (Hamburg, Germany) in a cash transaction valued at about EUR 23 million ($30.64 million).(Deals roundup)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... PerkinElmer (Wellesley, Massachusetts) has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Evotec Technologies (Hamburg, Germany) in a cash transaction valued at about EUR 23 million ($30.64 million). Evotec Technologies is a majority owned...

Varioceles repair can help couples conceive, study says.(Radiological Society of North America)
December 7, 2006... CHICAGO -- A primary cause of infertility in males is not only easily correctable, it can significantly improve a couple's chances for pregnancy, according to Sebastian Flacke, MD, assistant professor of radiology at the University of Bonn in...

Neoprobe cuts covenants, to raise up to $6 million.(Financings roundup)
December 7, 2006... Neoprobe (Dublin, Ohio), developer of diagnostic, oncology and surgical products, reported that it had completed negotiations for the elimination of certain note covenants and the modification of the maturity of the notes with Great Point...

BioMag (Orangevale, California) reported that it has completed a third private placement in the amount of $250,000, bringing the total funds raised since July 11, 2006, to $750,000.(Financings roundup)
December 7, 2006... BioMag (Orangevale, California) reported that it has completed a third private placement in the amount of $250,000, bringing the total funds raised since July 11, 2006, to $750,000. The company said that the funds will be used for design...

Oragenics (Alachua, Florida) reported that it has filed a U.S. patent application covering a collection of 44 genes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) that are specifically induced during active infection of human patients.(Financings roundup)
December 7, 2006... Oragenics (Alachua, Florida) reported that it has filed a U.S. patent application covering a collection of 44 genes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) that are specifically induced during active infection of human patients. Initial funding...

4-D imaging key to OB/GYN growth.(Briefly Noted)(obstetrics and gynecology)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Millennium Research Group (MRG; Waltham, Massachusetts) has conducted an analysis of the $2.6 billion global ultrasound market and reported that the largest contributor to growth in the obstetrics and gynecology segment of the market is the...

Biomoda (Albuquerque, New Mexico), a developer of early lung cancer detection testing and other cancer diagnostics, said it has signed an agreement to exclusively license cancer detection technology from Los Alamos National Laboratory.(Deals roundup)
December 7, 2006... Biomoda (Albuquerque, New Mexico), a developer of early lung cancer detection testing and other cancer diagnostics, said it has signed an agreement to exclusively license cancer detection technology from Los Alamos National Laboratory....

Affymetrix (Santa Clara, California) and Baylor College of Medicine (Houston) reported that Baylor has obtained a non-exclusive, worldwide license to a number of Affymetrix patents covering comparative genomic hybridization microarray services in Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments environments.(Deals roundup)
December 7, 2006... Affymetrix (Santa Clara, California) and Baylor College of Medicine (Houston) reported that Baylor has obtained a non-exclusive, worldwide license to a number of Affymetrix patents covering comparative genomic hybridization microarray services...

Neuroptix (Acton, Massachusetts) and Merck (Whitehouse, New Jersey) reported that they have established a research collaboration in which Merck will evaluate Neuroptix's diagnostic technology in preclinical models of Alzheimer's disease and clinical trial monitoring of potential new Alzheimer's drugs.(Deals roundup)
December 7, 2006... Neuroptix (Acton, Massachusetts) and Merck (Whitehouse, New Jersey) reported that they have established a research collaboration in which Merck will evaluate Neuroptix's diagnostic technology in preclinical models of Alzheimer's disease and...

Perceptronix opens 1st sputum induction facility.(Briefly Noted)
December 7, 2006... Perceptronix Medical (Vancouver, Canada) said it has opened its first sputum induction facility at MDS Metro Laboratory Services' Victoria Drive Patient Service Centre in Vancouver. The facility will be the first centre to offer sputum...

GE, UPMC, studies amyloid deposits in Alzheimer's patients.(Agreements)
December 7, 2006... A milestone in the imaging of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) has been reached through a collaboration between radiochemists from the University of Pittsburgh and GE Healthcare (Waukesha, Wisconsin), the organizations said. The University of...

Dmetrix (Tucson, Arizona) has teamed with Definiens (Munich, Germany) to combine platforms and provide a high-throughput, ultra-rapid quantitative and objective tool for preclinical research to speed the development process for new therapeutics.(Agreements)
December 7, 2006... Dmetrix (Tucson, Arizona) has teamed with Definiens (Munich, Germany) to combine platforms and provide a high-throughput, ultra-rapid quantitative and objective tool for preclinical research to speed the development process for new...

VisEn Medical (Woburn, Massachusetts) said it has entered into a joint research program to expand the capabilities and accelerate the adoption of its in vivo fluorescence technologies in Eli Lilly's (Indianapolis) R&D programs.(Agreements)
December 7, 2006... VisEn Medical (Woburn, Massachusetts) said it has entered into a joint research program to expand the capabilities and accelerate the adoption of its in vivo fluorescence technologies in Eli Lilly's (Indianapolis) R&D programs. Lilly has...

CDC awards $11.4 million to 4 firms to develop H5N1 tests.(Grants/contracts)
December 7, 2006... The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Atlanta) reported $11.4 million in new contracts to four companies developing diagnostic tests that doctors and field epidemiologists could eventually use to quickly and accurately test patients...

Premier Purchasing Partners (San Diego, California) reported a new agreement for blood bank analyzers, reagents, consumables and service with Ortho Clinical Diagnostics (Raritan, New Jersey), a Johnson & Johnson (New Brunswick, New Jersey) company.(Grants/contracts)
December 7, 2006... Premier Purchasing Partners (San Diego, California) reported a new agreement for blood bank analyzers, reagents, consumables and service with Ortho Clinical Diagnostics (Raritan, New Jersey), a Johnson & Johnson (New Brunswick, New Jersey)...

Lifestream files petition for protection under bankruptcy.(Court report)
December 7, 2006... Lifestream Technologies (Post Falls, Idaho), a supplier of cholesterol monitors, said it has filed a petition for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Nevada. As a "debtor in...

Enzo Biochem (New York) reported that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) has denied permission for an immediate interlocutory appeal, thereby allowing Enzo's patent infringement lawsuit in Connecticut Federal District Court to go forward against Applera (Norwalk, Connecticut) and its Tropix subsidiary.(Court report)
December 7, 2006... Enzo Biochem (New York) reported that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) has denied permission for an immediate interlocutory appeal, thereby allowing Enzo's patent infringement lawsuit in Connecticut Federal District...

China Medical, Century Medical team up.(International report)
December 7, 2006... China Medical Technologies (Beijing), a medical device company that makes high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) products and advanced in-vitro diagnostic systems, said it has entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with Century...

MedCath.
December 7, 2006... MedCath (Charlotte, North Carolina) reported that the underwriters of its common stock offering exercised their over-allotment option to purchase another 400,000 shares of MedCath common stock from certain selling stockholders at $25 per share....

Abingworth Management, a life sciences investment group, reported that it has led a $50 million Series A private debt and equity financing in Magellan Biosciences (Chelmsford, Massachusetts).
December 7, 2006... Abingworth Management, a life sciences investment group, reported that it has led a $50 million Series A private debt and equity financing in Magellan Biosciences (Chelmsford, Massachusetts). The company develops rapid point-of-care analyzers...

Nymox Pharmaceutical.
December 7, 2006... Nymox Pharmaceutical (Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey) reported securing $13 million in private equity financing. The company said the funds will be used for general corporate purposes. The placement of common stock is with institutional...

FEI (Hillsboro, Oregon) said it has filed a registration statement on Form S-3 with the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to an offering of up to 8,406,007 shares of its common stock.
December 7, 2006... FEI (Hillsboro, Oregon) said it has filed a registration statement on Form S-3 with the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to an offering of up to 8,406,007 shares of its common stock. The shares are being offered by Philips...

Dade Behring Holdings.(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Dade Behring Holdings (Deerfield, Illinois) said its board has approved an expansion of the company's stock repurchase plan by authorizing the company to buy an incremental five million shares of common stock. This authorization follows...

CytoCore.(Product Briefs)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... CytoCore (Chicago) reported "highly accurate results" in using its P2X7 biomarker to detect bladder cancer, suggesting broader implications for use in the early detection of cancer in all epithelial cells, the company said. Following recent...

eGene.(Product Briefs)(product development of eGene, Inc., )(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... eGene (Irvine, California), a developer of high-performance bioanalytical instruments, said a new instrument has been developed for carbohydrate analysis and sequencing. The company plans to launch the Carbohydrate Analyzer in early 2007. The...

Fluidigm.(Product Briefs)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Fluidigm (South San Francisco) said it has launched a new platform for gene expression analysis that runs TaqMan assays on nanofluidic chips, known as BioMark dynamic arrays. The BioMark system delivers higher throughput than 384-microwell...

Genzyme.(Product Briefs)
December 7, 2006... Genzyme (Cambridge, Massachusetts) reported commercial availability of a new laboratory test designed to help identify non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who may not respond to targeted therapies. Genzyme's KRAS Mutation Analysis is...

SonoSite.(Product Briefs)(product information )(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... SonoSite (Bothell, Washington) has introduced a new high-frequency transducer, powerful enhancements for wireless connectivity and security, and additional capabilities designed to add to the MicroMaxx system's performance in ultra-portable...

Viasys Healthcare.(Product Briefs)
December 7, 2006... Viasys Healthcare (Conshohocken, Pennsylvania) reported that it has received FDA 510(k) clearance for its Sonara and Sonara/tek digital Transcranial Doppler (TCD) systems. TCD is a noninvasive method of measuring blood flow velocities in the...

Dade Behring Holdings.(People in Places)(appointment of Donal Quinn )(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Dade Behring Holdings (Deerfield, Illinois) said Donal Quinn has been appointed to the newly created position of chief operating officer, and Mark Wolsey-Paige has been appointed to the newly created position of chief strategy and technology...

Radiology scanning fails to win roll-back of payment reductions.(As Congress headed for home ...)
December 14, 2006... WASHINGTON -- As the 109th Congress drew its last Breaths--or some might say, gasps--it cobbled together various measures designed to deal with some of the healthcare funding dilemmas that dotted the legislative calendar all year long, some in...

Singulex developing troponin test for earlier detection of AMI.(Back-stopping new drugs)
December 14, 2006... Earlier this month, Pfizer (New York) reaped a large number of negative headlines when it reported that it had to stop its Phase III ILLUMINATE trial of a new drug that it had expected to raise good cholesterol, the halt due to an increased...

EU grant supports IDIBAPS project to develop DNA chip.(Report from Europe)
December 14, 2006... The European Union, through the Sixth Framework Program, has approved a project led by IDIBAPS-Hospital Clinic, with the aim to validate the IBDchip (Inflammatory Bowel Disease DNA Chip) within the European Community It is said to be the...

Underwriters of Hansen IPO take option for $80 million net.(Financings roundup)
December 14, 2006... Hansen Medical (Mountain View, California) reported that the underwriters of its initial public offering of 6.25 million shares have exercised in full their over-allotment option, purchasing another 937,500 shares of common stock. ...

Lame duck Senate confirms von Eschenbach to top FDA post.
December 14, 2006... Waiting until the waning hours of a lame duck session of Congress, the Senate finally confirmed Andrew von Eschenbach, MD, as commissioner of the FDA last Thursday, filling a post that has been vacant since the abrupt resignation of Lester...

Lifestream files for bankruptcy, sells off to Polymer Technology.(Court report)
December 14, 2006... Lifestream Technologies (Post Falls, Idaho), a supplier of cholesterol monitors, reported that it has filed a petition for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Nevada. As...

Mayo Clinic team develops breath-hold control device.
December 14, 2006... The very act of breathing, or what is termed "respiratory motion," can throw off radiologists and physicians alike during CT scans, as well as other procedures, particularly in lung biopsies. The reason is that breathing causes the tumor or...

Gamma Medica to acquire AMI; Kaz buys Braun business.(Deals roundup)(Advanced Molecular Imaging)
December 14, 2006... Gamma Medica-Ideas (GM-I; Los Angeles/Oslo, Norway), a developer of imaging devices for the pre-clinical and clinical markets, reported reaching agreement to acquire and merge operations with Advanced Molecular Imaging (AMI; Sherbrooke,...

Genome/phenotype database a new i-resource for eye disease.
December 14, 2006... The National Library of Medicine (NLM), part of the National Institutes of Health, has introduced the database of Genome and Phenotype (dbGaP), a database designed to archive and distribute data from genome wide association (GWA) studies. ...

NIH funds William Beaumont study of tumor movement.(Grants/contracts)
December 14, 2006... The National Institutes of Health has funded a study by William Beaumont Hospital (WBH; Royal Oak, Michigan) investigators to examine how lung tumors move and to refine ways to compensate for breathing-induced tumor motion. The amount of the...

OSI Systems (Hawthorne, California) said its optoelectronics and manufacturing division, OSI Optoelectronics, has received a contract for about $6.3 million from an international Fortune 500 medical equipment company, though that company was not named.(Grants/contracts)
December 14, 2006... OSI Systems (Hawthorne, California) said its optoelectronics and manufacturing division, OSI Optoelectronics, has received a contract for about $6.3 million from an international Fortune 500 medical equipment company, though that company was...

Nanogen (San Diego) reported being awarded a $4.5 million contract from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Atlanta) to develop a multi-analyte point-of-care (POC) assay for Influenza in support of U.S. Government efforts to strengthen readiness for a potential influenza pandemic.(Grants/contracts)
December 14, 2006... Nanogen (San Diego) reported being awarded a $4.5 million contract from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Atlanta) to develop a multi-analyte point-of-care (POC) assay for Influenza in support of U.S. Government efforts to...

The Coriell Institute for Medical Research (Camden, New Jersey) has been awarded a $3.1 million contract from the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI; Bethesda, Maryland) to establish a Sample Repository for Human Genetic Research.(Grants/contracts)
December 14, 2006... The Coriell Institute for Medical Research (Camden, New Jersey) has been awarded a $3.1 million contract from the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI; Bethesda, Maryland) to establish a Sample Repository for Human Genetic Research....

iCAD enters pact with Viatronix for CT/CAD virtual colonoscopy.(Agreements roundup)
December 14, 2006... iCAD (Nashua, New Hampshire), a provider of computer-aided detection (CAD) solutions for the early identification of cancer, reported entering a product integration and distribution agreement with Viatronix (Stony Brook, New York), a developer...

Volcano (Rancho Cordova, California), Stanford University (Palo Alto, California), Cardialysis (Rotterdam, the Netherlands) and the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF; New York) reported a collaboration whereby Volcano has agreed to provide intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) catheters free of charge for use in pivotal drug-eluting stent (DES) clinical trials.(Agreements roundup)
December 14, 2006... * Volcano (Rancho Cordova, California), Stanford University (Palo Alto, California), Cardialysis (Rotterdam, the Netherlands) and the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF; New York) reported a collaboration whereby Volcano has agreed to...

Accuray (Sunnyvale, California) and Siemens Medical Solutions (Malvern, Pennsylvania) reported an agreement to collaborate in the development of advanced imaging and software solutions for use in both radiosurgery and radiotherapy.(Agreements roundup)
December 14, 2006... Accuray (Sunnyvale, California) and Siemens Medical Solutions (Malvern, Pennsylvania) reported an agreement to collaborate in the development of advanced imaging and software solutions for use in both radiosurgery and radiotherapy. The two...

Avitar (Canton, Massachusetts) has signed a distribution agreement with Dukal (Hauppauge, New York) for Avitar's Hydrasorb polyurethane foam wound dressing product line to replace the company's existing distributor.(Agreements roundup)
December 14, 2006... Avitar (Canton, Massachusetts) has signed a distribution agreement with Dukal (Hauppauge, New York) for Avitar's Hydrasorb polyurethane foam wound dressing product line to replace the company's existing distributor. The agreement covers the...

D&IW releases new report on orthopedics market.(Diagnostics & Imaging Week )(Brief article)
December 14, 2006... The publishers of Diagnostics & Imaging Week have just released a new 200-page report focusing on the orthopedics sector, Orthopedics 2006 - Trends, Challenges and Opportunities. The report provides detailed insight into the trends impacting...

Pact on nanomechanical sensors.(Report from Europe)
December 14, 2006... Researchers from the National Center of Competence in Research at the newly established Swiss Nanoscience Institute (SNI; Basel), together with scientists at Roche (also Basel), have developed a method for the rapid detection of disease- and...

EOS, KaVo Dental in distribution pact.(Report from Europe)
December 14, 2006... Electro-Optical Sciences (EOS; Irvington, New York) has signed a licensing agreement with KaVo Dental (Biberach, Germany), a dental equipment manufacturer, to develop and commercialize Difoti, an FDA-cleared noninvasive imaging device developed...

Aushon BioSystems.(Financings roundup)
December 14, 2006... Aushon BioSystems (Burlington, Massachusetts), which provides microarray-based tools, instrumentation and services for life science research, drug R&D and clinical diagnostics, reported closing a Series A financing of $7.78 million. The...

Response Biomedical (Vancouver, British Columbia) reported that it has closed the $8 million equity investment made in by 3M's (St. Paul, Minnesota) medical division.(Financings roundup)(Brief article)
December 14, 2006... Response Biomedical (Vancouver, British Columbia) reported that it has closed the $8 million equity investment made in by 3M's (St. Paul, Minnesota) medical division. The alliance, reported earlier this month, gives 3M about a 13% ownership...

Invitrogen (Carlsbad, California) has entered into a strategic development and distribution relationship with Blue Heron Biotechnology (Bothell, Washington).(Financings roundup)(Brief article)
December 14, 2006... Invitrogen (Carlsbad, California) has entered into a strategic development and distribution relationship with Blue Heron Biotechnology (Bothell, Washington). Invitrogen will invest in Blue Heron in exchange for worldwide rights to distribute...

Beckman Coulter.(Financings roundup)
December 14, 2006... Beckman Coulter (Fullerton, California) reported the pricing of its offering of $525 million aggregate principal amount of convertible senior notes, due 2036. The company also granted the initial purchasers an option to purchase up to $75...

Aspect Medical Systems.(Product Briefs)
December 14, 2006... Aspect Medical Systems (Norwood, Massachusetts) updated the status of the Biomarkers for Rapid Identification of Treatment Effectiveness (BRITE) depression trial scheduled for completion by the end of 1Q07. The goal of the study is to determine...

Cook Medical.(Product Briefs)(Brief article)
December 14, 2006... Cook Medical (Bloomington, Indiana) reported the development of its EchoTip Echogenic Needle to enhance the needle's appearance during ultrasound imaging. Through enhanced tip visibility under ultrasound imaging, these needles improve the...

Genzyme.(Product Briefs)
December 14, 2006... Genzyme (Cambridge, Massachusetts) reported commercial availability of a new laboratory test designed to help identify non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients not responding to targeted therapies. Genzyme's KRAS Mutation Analysis is meant...

Immunicon.(Product Briefs)
December 14, 2006... Immunicon (Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania) reported the availability of the EasyCount System, a fluorescent microscopy-based imaging system designed to accurately count dead and live nucleated cells and automatically calculates cell viability,...

Neuro Kinetics.(Product Briefs)(Brief article)
December 14, 2006... Neuro Kinetics (NKI, Pittsburgh) said it has been awarded patent number 7,119,471 from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for the design of its Barany (rotary) chair's motor. The Barany chair is the motion stimulus component of NKI's...

Nikon Instruments.(Product Briefs)
December 14, 2006... Nikon Instruments (Melville, New York) has introduced the BioStation CT, a fully integrated, self contained cell culture observation device and monitoring system designed to allow users with minimal microscopy experience to conduct live cell...

Grant Life Sciences.(People in Places)
December 14, 2006... Grant Life Sciences (Los Angeles) has hired Kim Liao as director of Asian business development. Liao has held executive positions with Abbott Laboratories Services' Diagnostics Division, Medtronic Taiwan and Becton Dickinson Worldwide. Grant...

Roche Palo Alto.(People in Places)
December 14, 2006... Hans-Joachim Bohm, PhD, has been named president of Roche Palo Alto (Palo Alto, California). Bohm is also a member of Roche's research management team. Bohm replaces Robert Stein, MD, PhD, who assumed another position within the Roche global...

Ortho-Clinical test for Chagas in blood is cleared by FDA.
December 21, 2006... The FDA last week reported that it has approved a new test to screen blood donors for a blood-borne parasite that causes Chagas disease, a tropical disease that is carried by the parasite Trupanosoma cruzi and spread by the so-called "kissing"...

GeneSearch proves superior to intra-operative breast assay.(San Antonio Cancer Symposium)
December 21, 2006... Results from a prospective clinical study indicate that the GeneSearch Breast Lymph Node (BLN) Assay, a gene-based diagnostic test from Veridex (Warren, New Jersey), has greater sensitivity than traditional intra-operative methods of detecting...

Epigenomics' stock plunges as Roche exits collaboration.(International report)
December 21, 2006... Epigenomics (Berlin) lost 41% of its market capitalization Friday on news that the Roche Diagnostics arm of F. Hoffmann-La Roche (Basel, Switzerland) was exiting their four-year alliance to develop molecular diagnostic products for colorectal,...

Drum-beat of battle continues in effort to block imaging cuts.
December 21, 2006... WASHINGTON--As the 109th Congress fades into history, the stakeholders in the various budget battles either can claim success and lay down their arms or, if having failed in the fiscal feud, gird themselves to fight another day. An event...

SonoSite reports affirmation of summary ruling vs. Neutrino.(Court report)
December 21, 2006... SonoSite (Bothell, Washington) reported that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has affirmed a lower federal court's summary judgment of invalidity in favor of SonoSite against Neutrino Development, a patent holding company. ...

HealthSouth.(Court report)(Brief article)
December 21, 2006... In other legalities: * A federal judge has refused to grant a new trial for Richard Scrushy, former CEO of HealthSouth (Birmingham, Alabama), and Don Siegelman, former governor of Alabama, who were convicted earlier this year on bribery...

Healthcare Technologies.(Briefly Noted)(Brief article)
December 21, 2006... Healthcare Technologies (Petach Tikva, Israel) reported receiving a notice from the Nasdaq Capital Market indicating that it has regained compliance with Nasdaq's "bid price" rule, because the closing bid price per share for its ordinary shares...

Exact's refined PreGen shows 88% sensitivity in Mt. Sinai study.
December 21, 2006... No matter how effective a test is, it isn't much good if not used. That is the medical fact-of-diagnosis that Exact Sciences (Marlborough, Massachusetts) hopes to parlay into general use for its test as an alternative to colonoscopy. ...

Orion Genomics identifies, validates suite of biomarkers.(Breast Cancer Symposium notes)
December 21, 2006... Orion Genomics (St. Louis) said that it has identified and validated a suite of novel breast cancer biomarkers, the most promising of which will be incorporated into the company's diagnostic assays for the early detection of breast cancer and...

Thermo Fisher buys Cohesive; Luminex to buy Tm Bioscience.(Deals roundup)
December 21, 2006... Thermo Fisher Scientific (Waltham, Massachusetts)--the company recently formed from the merger of Thermo Electron and Fischer Scientific--is on the acquisition trail. Last Friday it reported acquiring Cohesive Technologies (Franklin,...

Datasul (Joinville, Brazil), a company that offers software integrated solutions to corporate clients, reported the acquisition of Informenge, a management software solutions provider for healthcare, such as healthcare insurance companies, hospitals, medical offices, laboratories, diagnostic imaging centers and pharmacies.(Deals roundup)
December 21, 2006... Datasul (Joinville, Brazil), a company that offers software integrated solutions to corporate clients, reported the acquisition of Informenge, a management software solutions provider for healthcare, such as healthcare insurance companies,...

Quidel (San Diego) reported a worldwide license to the MChip microarray-based influenza detection technology developed by scientists at the University of Colorado (Denver) in close collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Atlanta).(Deals roundup)
December 21, 2006... Quidel (San Diego) reported a worldwide license to the MChip microarray-based influenza detection technology developed by scientists at the University of Colorado (Denver) in close collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and...

Predictive Bio secures $10m; LifeWatch registers for IPO.(Financings roundup)
December 21, 2006... Predictive Biosciences (Lexington, Massachusetts) a developer of diagnostics for cancer management, reported securing $10 million in Series A financing. Highland Capital Partners and IDG Ventures Boston co-led the investment in the company,...

Beckman Coulter (Fullerton, California) reported that the initial purchasers of its 2.5% convertible senior notes due 2036 have exercised in full their over-allotment option to purchase an additional $75 million aggregate principal amount of notes.(Financings roundup)
December 21, 2006... Beckman Coulter (Fullerton, California) reported that the initial purchasers of its 2.5% convertible senior notes due 2036 have exercised in full their over-allotment option to purchase an additional $75 million aggregate principal amount of...

AFP Imaging.(Financings roundup)(Brief article)
December 21, 2006... AFP Imaging (Elmsford, New York) reported that its board has authorized the company to repurchase up to $1 million of its outstanding common stock in open market purchases or privately negotiated transactions. The company said that any...